Cardinal Stritch University finished the game with a 12-7 run ending PUC’s season with the 64-52 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference semifinal win. The Peregrines knocked off the Wolves in the regular season finale, 80-72, which was the first time in four seasons a CCAC opponent beat the Wolves.

In the final seven-plus minutes, the Peregrines (12-18) could not find the bottom of the net from the field until senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) hit the game’s last bucket with 22 seconds left. The Peregrines were 1-for-7 from the field, while hitting 5-of-6 from the charity stripe.

Hurst closed out her college career leading the Peregrines with 14 points and nine rebounds just missing her 13th double-double of the season. Hurst finished the season leading the Peregrines in scoring (14.2 per game) and rebounding (9.5).

Sophomore Jenny Britton (Lake Central) hit her only 3-pointer of the game in the first four minutes of action, and finished with 10 points and a pair of assists. Britton led the team hitting 42 percent of her 3-pointers, and averaged 12 points per game.

A pair of former Merrillville Pirates, Meme Harris and Chrissy Lobodinski, each scored eight for the Peregrines. Lobodinski grabbed six rebounds and had two assists, while Harris pulled in four rebounds in the loss.

PUC trailed 32-22 at the half hitting 8-of-27 (29 percent) from the field, while CSU connected on 12-of-30 for a 40 percent success rate. The Peregrines improved slightly in the second half hitting 36 percent from the field, while the Wolves’ rate dipped one percentage point.

The Peregrines (12-17), who beat conference champs Cardinal Stritch University last week to end the regular season, head to Milwaukee, Wisc., Thursday to battle the Wolves in a CCAC semifinal at 6 p.m. EST. The Wolves’ loss was their first conference blemish of the season.

A 15-point Peregrine lead with a little less than four minutes to play was trimmed to five three minutes later when the Trolls’ freshman-of-the-year candidate Jennifer Brink hit a jumper closing the score to 72-67 with 34 ticks left on the play clock.

But on the Peregrines’ next possession, another freshman-of-the-year candidate, Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) nailed a two-pointer, was fouled and connected on her third free throw of the night and pushed the lead to eight, 75-67, ending a Troll comeback.

Beck led the Peregrines for the second consecutive game scoring 18 points, including one 3-pointer. The 5-7 guard averaging 12.8 per game, scored 20 against Cardinal Stritch in the regular season finale.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) grabbed a game-high 16 rebounds, eight on the offensive and defensive ends of the court, and scored 10 points. It was her 12th double-double of the season and first playoff double-double in her collegiate career.

Point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) was among five Peregrines to score double figures. She scored a dozen points, grabbed seven rebounds, had four assists and four steals in the win.

Freshman Nicci Desimone (Elkhart Memorial) drilled three 3-pointers and finished with 11 points. Junior forward Sara Keilman (Hammond Morton) was perfect from the field on four attempts scoring 10 points, and missed a double-double by one rebound grabbing nine.

The Peregrines outrebounded the Trolls 42-36 and had the edge in 3-pointers hitting 36 percent compared to 31 percent.

TCC’s Amanda Learned led all scorers with 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the loss. Brink hit 70 percent of her shots and finished with 17 points.

The Peregrines (11-17 overall, 5-5 CCAC) finally caught the Wolves (18-10, 9-1) knotting the game at 48-48 with 14:44 on the clock. Both teams battled for the lead during the next 5-plus minutes before the Peregrines grabbed the lead for good and eventually knocked off the conference leaders 80-72 handing them their first CCAC loss and giving the Peregrines their biggest win of the season.

The Peregrines stretched the lead to 11, 74-63, and closed the game hitting one field goal and knocking down 4-of-6 from the foul line as the Wolves tried to extend the game.

Freshman Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) hit a jumper with under nine minutes to play giving the Peregrines a 62-60 lead that they never gave up. Beck led all scorers with 20 points, including four from the 3-point arc and 7-of-8 from the charity stripe, while grabbing seven rebounds.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) nabbed her 11th double double of the year scoring 19 points and grabbing 14 rebounds. She leads the Peregrines in both categories (14.4 points and 14.4 rebounds) and ranks second in the CCAC with 19.7 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

Sophomore Jenny Britton (Lake Central) drilled 5-of-6 (83 percent) from the 3-point stripe and finished with 15 points. Britton leads the CCAC with 3.1 3-pointers made per game and ranks third hitting 47 percent of her 3-pointers.

Meme Harris (Merrillville) was the fourth Peregrine in double digits scoring 13 points, while dishing out six assists to lead the team. Harris is the conference leader in assists averaging 6.3 per game and has 142 total this season.

Sophomore Chrissy Lobodinski (Merrillville) snagged a dozen rebounds, seven on both sides of the glass, and scored six points. Lobodinski ranks fourth in the CCAC averaging 8.9 rebounds per game.

The Peregrines dominated in the rebounding department with a 47-28 finish. They also outshot the Wolves 60 percent to 42 percent from the 3-point arc.

PUC opens the CCAC quarter-final playoffs next Tuesday with a 7 p.m. tilt hosting Trinity Christian College. The Peregrines beat the Trolls in both conference meetings this season.

The Peregrines (10-17) edged the Tigers (15-10) from the field in the opening half hitting 43 percent compared to 42. But the Tigers hit 11 of their 3-pointers to hold a 55-46 lead at the intermission.

Sophomore point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) dropped in a layup four minutes into the second half drawing the Peregrines to within five points of the Tigers. But during the next three minutes, the Tigers pushed the lead to double digits and never let the Peregrines get closer.

Harris led the Peregrines with 20 points, four assists and three steals. She leads the CCAC averaging 6.3 assists per game and ranks in the top ten averaging 12.8 points per game.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) registered her 10th double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Hurst ranks second in the CCAC in both statistical categories with a 19.8 scoring and 11.4 rebounding per game average.

Freshman Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) hit four 3-pointers and finished with 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. She is the team’s fourth leading scorer averaging 12.3 per game.

The Peregrines host conference leader Cardinal Stritch University on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. in the first game of a basketball doubleheader in the final regular season home game.

But the Eagles closed the game draining all five of their free throw attempts and dropped in one field goal winning the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference battle, 80-74.

PUC trailed by as many as 13 in the second half, but continued to chip into the lead keeping within striking distance. But the Judson University Eagles (15-9 overall, 5-2 CCAC) would answer with a four-and-six point run re-establishing a more-than two possession advantage.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) missed her 10th double-double of the season by one rebound. Hurst led all scorers with 24 points hitting 55 percent of her shots, while grabbing nine rebounds. She as earned three player-of-the-week nominations in the CCAC averaging 19.3 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

Beck was the Peregrines second leading scorer totaling 17 points, and she had four rebounds and a pair of steals in the loss. Beck is the team’s fourth best scorer averaging 12.1 per game.

Point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) popped in 16 points, grabbed four rebounds and dished out four assists. Harris is averaging 12.4 points and 5.1 assists per game, and she leads the CCAC averaging 6.6 assists per game.

Junior Sara Keilman (Hammond Morton) grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds and added seven points. Keilman is averaging 6.6 points and 5.7 rebounds per game off the bench.

The Peregrines (10-16) host the Olivet Nazarene University Tigers (14-10) in a divisional conference crossover Saturday at 1 p.m. in the opening game of homecoming.

Point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) was perfect at the charity stripe in the last two minutes hitting 6-of-6 thwarting a Crimson Wave late-game surge on homecoming. Harris led all scorers with 23 points, while dishing out a game-high eight assists. She leads the CCAC averaging 6.6 assists per game, while averaging 12.4 points.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.), a CCAC player-of-week twice this season, registered her ninth double-double in 11 games scoring 17 points, including 9-of-10 from the charity stripe, and she grabbed a dozen rebounds. Hurst leads the Peregrines averaging 13.6 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, and she ranks second in both catergories in the CCAC with 19.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per contest.

Freshman Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) banged in 15 points, including three from the 3-point line and had a pair of steals in the win. Beck is one of four Peregrines averaging double digits scoring 12.1 points per game.

Sophomore Jenny Britton (Lake Central), the team’s second leading scorer, finished with 12 points all from the 3-point stripe. Britton ranks second in the CCAC hitting 45 percent from 3-point land and is averaging 13.6 points per game in conference action.

The Peregrines (10-15 overall, 4-4 CCAC) forced 18 Crimson Wave turnovers, dished out 17 assists and swiped the ball eight times to complete the victory.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) continued her torrid second half of the season collecting her eighth double-double in 10 games leading all scorers and rebounders with 24 points and 14 boards. Hurst leads the Peregrines averaging 13.5 points and 8.9 rebounds overall and ranks second in the CCAC averaging 19.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per contest.

Sophomore guard Jenny Britton (Lake Central) pumped in 16 points, including four from the 3-point stripe, and led the team with four steals. Britton, the second leading scorer on the team at 13.1 per game, is averaging 13.9 points in conference action and ranks third in the CCAC with 2.7 steals per game.

Freshman guard Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) also scored 16 points, including a pair of 3-pointers, and led the team with five assists and swiped three steals. Beck is averaging 12 points per game overall and 11.9 in CCAC games.

Sophomore point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) scored 13 points, dished out four assists and had two steals in the loss. Harris leads the CCAC averaging 6.3 assists per game and is scoring 10.9 points in conference matches.

Off the bench, junior Sara Keilman (Hammond Morton) scored eight and rebounded eight. Keilman is averaging 6.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game this season.

The Peregrines (9-15 overall, 3-4 CCAC) head to the Hammond Civic Center to battle Calumet College (4-21, 0-5) in a 1 p.m. tip in the first of a conference doubleheader with the men’s team. PUC beat Cal College, 81-56, last month at home.

PUC (9-14 overall, 3-3 CCAC)opened up a 15-point lead heading into halftime behind a combined 26 points from LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) and Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) who hit 50 percent from the field in the first 20 minutes. Both finished with double figures in the win.

Hurst registered her seventh double-double in the last nine games. She led all scorers and rebounders with 26 points and 15 boards. The senior ranks second in the CCAC averaging 18.8 points per game, and she ranks third averaging 11.3 rebounds per game.

Beck, who finished as the game’s second leading scorer, connected for 17, including three from the 3-point stripe. The freshman is averaging 11.8 points per game, fourth best among the Peregrines.

Off the bench, junior Sara Keilman (Hammond Morton) scored a dozen, grabbed seven rebounds, and added four steals. Sophomores Jenny Britton (Lake Central) and Meme Harris (Merrillville) each scored eight. Britton also had six rebounds and six steals in the win.

Both PUC squads head to Deerfield, Ill., this Wednesday for a doubleheader against Trinity International University. The women tip at 5:30 p.m.

The Titans (10-12) had six players crack the double-digit column totaling 102 points in the win. They held a 55-37 lead at the half and continued to build on their lead through the second half of action.

Peregrine point guard Meme Harris (Merrillville) led her team with 22 points, four assists and four steals. Harris, who was perfect at the charity stripe, is averaging 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per game, and she leads the CCAC averaging 7.5 assists per game.

Freshman Stephaine Beck (Mishawaka) hit 4-of-7 (57 percent) from the 3-point stripe and finished with 18 points, three steals and a pair of assists. Beck is averaging 11.6 points in 22 games.

Chrissy Lobodinski (Merrillville) and Nicci Desimone (Elkhart Memorial) each scored 10 points for the Peregrines. Lobodinski, who is averaging 8.1 rebounds per game, grabbed seven in the loss, and Desimone, who connected on a pair of 3-pointers, is averaging 7.2 points per game.

The Peregrines (8-14 overall, 2-3 CCAC) host Trinity Christian College (4-19, 1-4) Saturday at 1 p.m. in the first of a doubleheader with the men’s team.

When Jenny Britton (Lake Central) hit one of her three 3-pointers with seven minutes left in the first half, the Peregrines were within single digits, 29-20. But CCAC leading Cardinal Stritch (13-8 overall, 5-0 conference) closed out the half on a 21-10 run and placed the Peregrines (8-13, 2-3) in a 20-point hole.

Senior LaKeisha Hurst (Dover, Del.) continued her hot streak collecting her fifth double-double in her last eight games. Hurst led all scorers and rebounders with 24 points and 13 rebounds. The forward, who leads the Peregrines averaging 8.5 rebounds, and is the team’s second leading scorer with 13 per game, shot 55 percent from the field in the loss.

Britton’s made field goal attempts were all of the 3-point variety as she finished with 11 points and three rebounds. The sophomore leads the team averaging 13.5 points per game and has the highest success rate at the 3-point stripe hitting 45 percent of her attempts.

Hurst has the fifth highest scoring average in the CCAC with 17.4 per game, while Britton is seventh best averaging 14.6.

The Peregrines travel to South Bend this Wednesday for a 5 p.m. CST tip with the IUSB Titans (9-12) in a non-divisional CCAC contest.